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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Endosc Int Open 2022; 10(07): E982-E989
DOI: 10.1055/a-1839-4303
Original article

Severe immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated gastritis: A case series and literature review

Yuya Sugiyama
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Hiroki Tanabe
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Taisuke Matsuya
2   Department of Dermatology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Yu Kobayashi
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Yuki Murakami
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Takahiro Sasaki
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Takehito Kunogi
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Keitaro Takahashi
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Katsuyoshi Ando
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Nobuhiro Ueno
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Shin Kashima
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Kentaro Moriichi
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Mishie Tanino
3   Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Yusuke Mizukami
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Mikihiro Fujiya
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
,
Toshikatsu Okumura
1   Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
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Abstract

Background and study aims Recent advances in cancer treatment have involved the clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for various type of cancers. The adverse events associated with ICIs are generally referred to as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Gastrointestinal irAEs are a major disorder, but gastritis is not frequently observed. The aims of this study were to elucidate the clinical, endoscopic, and histological characteristics of irAE gastritis.

Patients and methods Information on patients treated with ICIs were collected from a single institute over 3 years. IrAE gastritis was identified based on the clinical course and endoscopic and histopathological findings. Of the 359 patients treated with ICIs, four cases of irAE gastritis were identified in clinical records from the endoscopy unit. The endoscopic and histopathological findings were analyzed, and further immunohistochemical studies with immune subtype markers and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) antibody were conducted.

Results Among four patients with irAE gastritis, the remarkable endoscopic characteristics were network-pattern erosion, erythematous and edematous mucosa with thick purulent discharge, and fragile mucosa. Corresponding histological features were fibrinopurulent exudate, severe inflammatory cell infiltration, and epithalaxia, respectively. The PD-L1 expression rate was ≥ 1 % in the gastric tissue of all patients with gastritis. These patients were treated with prednisolone (PSL) and their symptoms improved within a few days to 2 weeks.

Conclusions IrAE gastritis were characterized by specific endoscopic findings. The appropriate endoscopic diagnosis may lead to effective treatment with PSL.

Supplementary material



Publication History

Received: 05 January 2022

Accepted after revision: 28 April 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
28 April 2022

Article published online:
15 July 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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